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Dare to Live

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Chapter 2 - Townschool

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Given the kind of place I was in, I have to catch my breath briefly when I figured out. There was nothing in Silene Town that could have suggested to me in any way that this was Fairy Tail-verse before. Obviously, it shouldn't have because there was nothing big that had ever happened since I was born. That, and the fact I wasn't born in the place I would have immediately known like Magnolia. Now that I know it, I could take a guess well that I was here as another person in the world to be living.

Assuming that this was the 'canon' world, what are things that mattered to me? There will be a war, many years from now, between Fiore and Alvarez Empire with Acnologia in the middle of it. But what of anything else? I have no idea. As much as I had read Fairy Tail, I never know anything else about the world, let alone Fiore itself. I was just a stranger to the world with memories of Fairy Tail guild that would not matter to anyone but themselves. Not that people are going to magically believe the 'story' coming from a child anyway.

I didn't have to join the war and could have been somewhere else when the storm arrives. People died, and I would've hated to be among those casualties. Not to mention, fighting the war I have no cause in was never worth dying for to begin with.

But the war aside, this was a world where things such as magic or other wonders are commonplace. People may give the same attention to someone casting magic as we may a stray cat that we see during our travels.

The idea of being a mage held such allure to me. To have more freedom in choosing what I want to do than as an ordinary person, and childishly enough, using magic like in fantasy. Taking quests, finding friends, seeking glory or anything I want, and so on. Being a mage would essentially mean living free and of my own life. I can go wherever I want and do whatever I want to do.

But my excitement was halted in its tracks by one dreadful thought: what if I had no magic? What if, I was like 90% of the population and I was just a non-mage? What could I even do then? How would I live without it? Especially in the world where basically anyone of even minor importance was a mage. It is terrifying to know that there might be a chance I won't be able to fulfill my dream before it even begins. My mind drifted towards another dark thought: what if I'm attacked by the unending numbers of bandits, dark mages, and what have you this world seems to be overwhelmingly infested with? I would have no means of defending myself!

Of course, as gratifying as the life of a mage was. It was hard and dangerous. There could be many things out there that would give you a very very bad if you come across one, what with dark mages hiding among people that it is impossible to tell them from people. It can't be easy if all you need to do to get rich was doing jobs, right? But I tried the 'no-risk' route before, and it didn't work out well. I wish I could come up with some sappy purple prose about my life drifting on a soft wind or some crap, but no. Simply put; I felt like my soul was being ground to dust by tedious monotony of doing what I hated every day, without fail, without end. I'd rather be a mage and enjoy it while it still lasts than going around day by day with no purpose in life.

Speaking of, there really isn't much to do in Silene, especially as a child. I didn't start school when I was six as there was no school in Silene Town for me to attend. I observed and listened to what people were saying, gossip and news alike, for the information I need to know. Anything that would at least pique my curiosity. And when I wanted to be doing something else, that would be studying magic from the books in the library, and just it alone.

In a world where competition was bigger and more abundant with the presence of magic and mages, I'd rather be the only one hanging around in the library, reading books that have my interest and soak up what I could get from them, while the rest are having a blast with each other. Not that I hated the act of playing itself, but as a teenager in child body, it felt off to me to be doing something so insignificant and trivial like playing with kids beneath my (mind) age. Like, I just shouldn't be doing it. Something in the back of my mind would scream at me if I so much as think about it. Reading also helped my anxiety of ending up without magic as I found out, it doesn't make it necessarily go away, but more like something to keep me distracted from the anticipation of something that even I don't know if it will come true.

Silene Town is quite isolated from its neighboring towns because it was located almost right in the middle of—if not behind—mountain valleys that make it time-consuming for anyone who wants to get there, not a place where many will come to without a good reason. There were sometimes trade caravans and maybe more travelers during the more temperate seasons or festivals in other larger regions using the town as their sort of stop-gap for a more critical place like the capital city Crocus, they would usually stick around for a day to resupply and trade with the locals if they have an opportunity. But even if there are people who came to the town on occasion, they usually aren't mages and just ordinary merchants passing by. The town itself was old and small, which means people aren't so rich compared to those who are from other nearby towns that are more 'open'. Sure, it's a quaint town, but not to the point of poverty and crime-ridden. They still have money just like people anywhere else, but only just enough for what's their necessity and nothing more than that. Similarly, the village funds are not something to write home about. It could have been spent on improving its archive in the library, but with the state of the town has always been in, it's better off used elsewhere that isn't just a library that was visited seldom. This is why there are mostly outdated tomes, with few being a book too complicated for me to read in the same way Calculus would to a sixth-grader, in the library.

There wasn't much I could gather from the archive so far, given its old dates and lack of updates.

This routine of mine continued for months. Sometimes I'd get drug into playing games, whether by other kids lonely enough to ask (I just couldn't bring myself to tell them no, cognitive dissonance or not), sometimes some noteworthy events for the village happened, but most days I was just reading and running around the village when being sedentary for too long got to be problematic. Until I heard some rumors circulating around.

Ako, one of the oldest people living here, wanted to teach all the kids in this town who are left alone when their parents worked. While I'm not fond of the idea- no, I'm just not. School was boring as it was already, relearning something so easy and certain as the sky is blue like how to do the basic math? Hell to the no, why should I go back to learn something I already know? I'm just going to waste my time there for nothing. But what if she knows one or two things about magic? Then maybe I could learn more from her at something no books will ever tell me. And well, learning a bit of the history of this world might not be so bad either. Maybe.

Frankly, it wasn't going to be exactly a school either, so to speak. There was no minimum requirement of how old I have to be to attend there, children of any ages are free to join her so long as they are physically capable enough for learning. I don't need to bring anything with me to the class, just me and will to learn. A good place for parents to keep their children under the careful watch of while they go to work without having to worry that theirs would be home alone without someone to look after them. Sure, Silene Town is a quiet little place in the middle of somewhere, but kids can and have gone missing, even though rarely. But rarely is already more than the risk anyone is willing to take, someone has to take care of them, no matter what.

It was in one evening after the dinner that my mum, Claire, wanted to discuss with me about going to Ako's 'school'.

"Blake, darling," She said as we were washing dishes. I never liked doing dishes or many other chores before. But that changed recently, since it's just how there was something I actually have to do in this little town to keep myself from getting bored out of my freakin' skull. Reading books is nice, they keep my attention from straying off to somewhere else with a particular magic topic to learn about, but an inability to try out what I learned and see it for myself made me want to dive against the wall headfirst just as much sometimes. "Do you know that lady, Ako? She's been working on building our local school in these past months. They've just finished the construction a week ago, and now she wanted every child living here to come and study at."

"Wait, they have? I thought they were still testing if the... uhhh" I tried to say the rest, but I just can't think of what I was going to say. Like the gears didn't know how to rotate in my head. "...structure can handle it."

"Oh, about that? They were already more than satisfied with how it turned out. The room, space, materials. It's ready." Mum said. "Actually, she intended to start teaching from tomorrow. I think you should go too, at least; someone can watch over you when I'm not around."

I have a bit of doubt in Ako that she could handle teaching many children by herself, let alone being prepared enough to take care of them all at once. I've only met her once when I was running around. She looked so frail with her grey hair and lined and wrinkled skin. She was indeed an elder(ly) in this town, but with the way she was, I don't see how she could have handled the burden alone by herself. It was already annoying enough that I might have to go back to school again, but the school with underprepared personnel? It's going to be a disaster if I was there.

"But mum, it's just her alone teaching in the class, and she was already so old. Is she ready to do that?" I asked.

"I heard she called her grandson in to help her with teaching at the school tomorrow from couple days ago. She should be fine." Mum answered.

Ugh, not like this. "Do I really have to go to school, mum?" I protested. "I mean, I don't want to go there."

"I don't want you to be at home alone when I'm gone for work, darling," She answered. "It's dangerous."

"There are always people at the library, mum." I pushed on. "And I never forget to lock the door when you are outside too."

"I know, but you should cut down on reading and go out more," She answered. "You can find some friends and learn more at school there than the library here."

Should I not? I pondered in my thoughts.

It's boring as hell if I have to be stuck in the room, learning what I had already learned with nothing new. But at this rate going on, there would be nothing new left in the library for me to read within few next days, and it would be frustrating and mind-numbing as hell if I was to be stuck in the library whose archives will probably never see another update or renovation. But I don't want to be stuck at the school that has nothing new to teach me either, what do I do?

"Just try and give it a chance, alright? We will work it out if you don't like it." Mum said softly.

I grunted and let out a 'tsk', "Alright." I said, annoyed with what I'm going to do tomorrow.

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The next day, the first day, mum walked me to the school in the morning.

Parents were coming to drop their children off at the building, some of them were already on their way back to work. Mum watched as I enter the building along with many other kids—some were as young as five while the other have teenagers who are so big that they stuck out like a sore thumb—with an endearing 'be a good boy'.

It surprised me how there were so many children here. Perhaps fifty or seventy of them, including me. But since this is the place where Ako and her grandson, and just them alone, was going to homeschool us together, I suppose it would make sense for her to have only one class for schooling, which means that I'm going to be sitting in a room cramped with many others with varying age and size.

And I was immediately proven wrong on the last part as I went in.

Large doesn't describe what the classroom was like, it was absolutely huge. There were framed windows set sideways to let in fresh air for breathing and a route for natural light to shine into the room. The tables and chairs were neatly arranged for the children to pick their seats in four with many of them to choose from. The whole room was painted in brownish colors that gave off a relaxing vibe as if I was in my own house. A blackboard is placed at the front of the class with an eraser and chalk sticks in multiple colors on it with a desk on the side just before it for the teacher to sit at. Just like the good old classroom I know.

I took a seat with three kids who were all around the same age as me at one of the tables in the middle. It was my favorite spot in my old world when in the class because teachers don't pay attention to me as close as that one guy who knows everything and will always sit at the front while also being not too far from them that what they were speaking at the moment would still usually are audible to me. I stared out the window, imagining myself to be out there free and unbounded, as more students filled the room and were looking around for any tables still left that they are comfortable with.

Many years from now, just what kind of future will await me if my magic was awakened during those times, let alone having one? I could never choose my own life that I wanted back then because I didn't have the spine to stand up for myself, too much of a conformist to even fathom going against the grain. Now that here I am again at the beginning, in the classroom of a kid school, it's either I do it this time or never ever. The childish part of me wanted freedom and the strength to endure a life with obstacles so he can be proud of something he achieved on his own merits. And truthfully, I wanted the same thing as that self-did too. I wanted to be more than what anyone told me I could ever be.

My drifting was interrupted as an elderly figure and someone I'd seen around the village towering over her entered the room with various materials. The behemoth of a man was carrying about all of it, and it was evident his arms were full. This is going to be a long day…

Some of the children didn't seem to be aware of their presence right away because it took a while for their noises, from kids in particular, to die down at their arrival. Ako simply walked to her desk to put down the materials she brought with for teaching today, gesturing something to the man before turning to face her class with a welcome expression on her face.

"Good morning everyone!" She clapped her hands, glancing around the room, especially at us. "So, I've seen many of you around the village before I'm sure. But for the sake of those who don't know me: I am Miss Ako Kozue, I'll be your teacher for the foreseeable future." Ako smiled warmly as she said this, and we all chorused our own greetings to her. She turned and extended her arm to the man comically towering over her and spoke again, "This is my grandson Ian, he'll be helping in any way he can around here. He's here to help, so please don't feel afraid of him." Again, we chorused our introductions, some more timidly than others on account of his height. He just smiled nervously at us.

Ako continued to move around a bit until she was ready, then spoke again. "I'm aware this is new and unusual for many of you since Mr. Walden passed years ago and our old school had to be torn down; many of your parents found different ways of educating you" She gazed at one of the tables at the front, seated by four children who were slightly older than me by a year or two. "The big boys." Then the larger bunches at the back of the room. "This is an adjustment I understand; but your parents wish for you to have as best an education we can provide here and wish to keep you safe. We're currently trying to find more people who can teach so you won't have to be all grouped together. For now, please bear with me and try to enjoy yourselves as best as possible."

If only she knew how far ahead I was, compared to the rest. Although I shouldn't be cocky, given that I still have no idea what topic she was going to tackle for now yet.

Half of the first morning was spent on practicing the high school traditions, introducing ourselves to the class one-by-one, briefed on the rules of the class, and taking one sheet of complementary materials from the pile of papers then pass it to the next table. Again, just like old times.

Kicking off the first class was something a mixture of basic math and algebra. Most of the kids, including my three seatmates, were paying attention to Ako while few more became too busy making friends with each other in an otherwise audible manner. The teenagers simply zoned out for obvious reasons. Five minutes into the class and I have already finished looking into the sheet, seeing the questions I will have to solve later on in the class. What do I think of it? I might as well continue drifting out when it's time for practice problems just because of how easy it was. Like a walk in the park. But when that time comes? Can't even catch a freakin' break once; someone in my table will always find a way to interrupt me at the worst time possible just as I thought I could be allowed to drift out in peace, be it asking me of all people or just from laughing too loud near me. I wish I could just take a nap without being seen in the class than having to suffer from this chore through the class, but what can I do when Ian was practically a surveillance camera in the room? Thankfully, it wasn't long before the class would be over.

"Okay! So, I'm going to conclude the mathematics here and we will continue it next time in equations and inequalities." Ako kind of shouted, shutting her book loudly in the midst of sudden noise rising. "And don't go too far yet because we are going to have a history class this afternoon, so don't be late!"

Someone poked me from behind as I was about to leave. "Ummm, Blake, right?" Adi asked eagerly. He was the one who keeps pestering me in the class to check for his answers if they were right or not and was very absorbed into learning as his enthusiasm would tell me. It was good for him that he was trying to do something by himself in trial-and-error than blindly copying the answers, but with how often he would ask me, and just me alone, to be his corrector at almost literally every question he did. I can't help but house that little irritation in the back of my mind towards him. It was not even out of malice; it's just tiring to be called to help every minute in a question that is otherwise solvable by himself rather than leaving me alone in my own space for a moment.

I turned around and grunted irritably, "You again, why didn't you ask Ian while in the class?"

Adi looked down at the ground. "I'm scared, he's so tall!"

"What?!" I was baffled at his answer. "Are you serious?"

I sighed inwardly when he nodded in confirmation. Of all the reasons why he didn't, and it was Ian's height that scared him from asking. It was so ridiculous, but I could understand where he's coming from. Who wouldn't be when standing in front of someone almost twice their size? And it's not like I was never nervous while talking to someone when I was legitimately his age.

"Okay," I said. "So, what is it?"

"There is a lunch break today in the canteen. I thought I want to ask you a bit some more on this morning's math, mind coming with you?" Adi asked.

I groaned inside... and quickly cover up my annoyance with a hesitant look. "Well, I can take a seat with you, but I had something else to do after lunch, so I can't help you with that. You okay with it?" I half-offered.

"I see..." Adi pouted, looking down forlornly. "I'll ask Ako herself when I can then..." He said softly. I can't help but feel like I was being a particular dick to him when his voice dropped.

I wanted to help him as much, but the morning class has done more than enough to drain me of what energy I still have left that altruism wasn't even at the top of my mind at this point. And if I know where it would have gone if I accepted, he might have continued to ask me for half an hour more that I won't get to have my own break. Maybe if it was another time, I'd gladly lend him a hand, just not today for sure.

Unless if it was something so important then well, a greeting and bits of asking on how to solve X would have sufficed.

Which reminded me. I didn't have anything in mind I could use to talk to them, much less in a town that doesn't see civilization as much as an urban city in my world would. Here, they never talk about TV shows, sports, music, or anything I would have liked to talk about had I was with people who know the same thing as I currently do. There was not even a single social network to pass info and memes back and forth either. Nothing. I was running blank on what to talk with anyone without having to be the less "casual" stuff like magic or personal life. Not that I liked to start the talk to begin with.

After having lunch in awkward silence with Adi and getting off from the canteen, I found my resting place underneath one of those trees at the back of the building outside. No one came here to play their games when they already have more than enough spaces for them to play tag or whatsoever at the front — good, with how boring the morning class was, having some good quiet nap under the shade of a tree would be nice.

I slouched down to the ground against the tree, watching clouds above and listening to leaves rustling in the wind. It was sunnily hot at noon, but it doesn't matter to me taking refuge under the tree from all the chaos and noises going on. The way the leaves go along with the breeze in a rhythm and the clouds moving at their own paces in the sky, there was something alluring about them that makes me feel serene and safe within this little school and town, yet made me craving for that life even more so.

I never believed in destiny because to me, it's just an excuse for us to wait for something to happen instead of making them happen ourselves. But what if that said "something" is beyond our control and that we have absolutely no way to manipulate it into happening? As in, based on luck, and just luck alone, with the odds that can't be interfered in any way. Unlike the past, this has nothing to do with whether I pressed on or not. This was something that has already been very well determined and as certain as the sky is blue. If I was born without magic, could I still not call that a destiny? Maybe not when there is still a magical Lacrima to implant into our own body, but that still doesn't make the fact that we don't have a magic of our own truly go away. We can pretend that we have magic all along, but take that off, what are we truly?

It made me uneasy having to admit that there is indeed something that could dictate my life and be above my control at the same time in this world.

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I clink glasses and downed the toast, that was one hell of a job and I all will be all over the newspaper tomorrow. This one is on the house. I can't believe one million Jewels each it. I'm happy why am I laughing?

I woke up sleepy and sluggish. That was... why do I feel like I was actually there? Oh right, a dream.

Everything was so quiet as if I was the only one who's still around. Where were... oh shit, the afternoon class!

I stumbled as I haul ass, still wanting to just drop down and go to sleep even though I'm telling myself to wake the fuck up, and back to the classroom before I'll be late. If the lack of noise and commotion hasn't already told me what time it was.

The door creaked as I swung open and many children turned to look at me like I have just committed an offense. Well, they weren't wrong since I was apparently late to the class as I feared. Way to go, Blake.

"Good afternoon Blake! Please come take a seat before we will start the class." Ako said, gesturing me to my desk.

Either I still haven't gotten my mind right yet or she was really smirking behind those wrinkles at me. I could have sworn that I saw something shifted in her face as I made my way back to my seat, but I might be just seeing things. Who knows?

"Where have you been?" Adi whispered.

"Number one," I lied. My late attendance today was nothing but just minor setbacks, at least for now, that it doesn't matter if I told him the truth anyway.

"One?" Adi seemed confused, oblivious to what that was really supposed to mean.

"It's nothing," I brushed off, not wanting to elaborate him about it.

Guess what we have in the afternoon? History class. The topic? The history of Fiore itself. It's definitely not as boring as Mathematics, but I wouldn't bother trying considering I don't find it particularly useful. Don't get me wrong, there're definitely people who could end up becoming historians, but that was just not me. I took a deep breath, putting my focus back to Ako and Ian. I suppose it doesn't hurt to try a little, if it's too boring I can always just sit back and await when it's over.

The Fiore Kingdom can be dated back to around four hundred years ago when it was still a province of the Piante Empire before its collapse during the early X400's due to the lack of heirs to the throne. From the outset, though, it has not always been Fiore. Back then, the province was still known as Vinus when it first broke off from the crumbling empire and was entangled in years of turmoil from all the economy, politics, civil war, and many more issues that would finally saw the demand for someone to lead the charge to end the unrest.

"Now! Who here can tell me who was the founder of the Fiorian Dynasty?" Ian called out loud for an answer and was promptly met with silence.

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"Uhhh, I expected this… Alright, that's fine. Fiore was founded by Taaniel Fiore. The Justiciar of his province under the Piante Empire— Yes, what is it?" I turned and saw someone had raised their hand. Adi.

"Ummm… what's, what's a Ju—Justic-"

"Justiciar?" Ian finished softly for him. Finding some small amusement in how Adi was acting. When Adi said nothing but nodded his head, Ian answered. "A Justiciar was a position of high importance for a region. It varies, but Piante had them oversee large swathes of land" Ian used his arms to try and gesture how large this hypothetical sum of land would be for added effect. "Taaniel Fiore was one such man, he was…" he paused. "Think of him like my gran, Ako here. Except more powerful and with a larger number of people!"

Adi thanked him nervously and Ian chuckled to himself softly. Ako didn't seem pleased at this but said nothing. Ian cleared his throat again and continued.

I found myself drawn in by the story admittedly. It was enticing to hear a story that would have been written off as another cheesy fantasy novel be told to us as actual history.

I listened intently as he gave anecdotes of the Piante Empire, and some of their practices that lead to Taaniel rebelling against them after years of strife and hardship. One thing in particular caught my attention: Mages were an oppressed class. You could be killed for being a Mage. I wanted to know more, I had to know more and instinctively raised my hand.

"What's up buddy?" Ian called out to me, stopping his lecture.

"Why, why were mages hunted?" I asked him cautiously.

I watched as he stopped and did a weird pose where he looked to the side and put his hand on his mouth, as if trying to find an answer. He turned to me and spoke up: "It's complicated. Piante in its zenith—at its greatest, welcomed mages and treated them with great respect. Their fall started to see shifts in attitude, it exploded with… a big event." Ian didn't go into detail what this event was, whether out of self-imposed censorship or lack of knowledge, I don't know.

"Mages were soon treated as an anathema- treated badly with this event being one of many reasons why. Taaniel Fiore wasn't a mage himself, but he allied himself, he had friends who were mages, and he loathed seeing injustices and persecutions against others. It's why he strode to fight against it with all his might, leading to him breaking off from the dying Piante Empire." I noticed Ian kept using big words on reflex…

"Are they still hunted today?" Someone else asked.

Ian paused again and contemplated his answer. "No, for the most part, they're not. Taaniel Fiore was the first man to fully legalize and grant full citizenship back to Mages during his reign. Many didn't like this, they feared and hated mages for one reason or another, and many died in the wars that followed." Ian started to continue until Ako stepped up and spoke up herself.

"Taaniel Fiore was and is a hero to us all. He saw past hatred and wanted to make a nation that acted as a refuge for the downtrodden and the lost; it's because of him Fiore to this day has one of the highest concentrations of mages in all of Ishgar. Were it not for him, my late husband, my sons and daughters, even my grandchildren would live in fear of the government, of persecution."

Ian took the reins again and added, "Unfortunately some communities still fear mages for one reason or another. A group called the Magic Council and the Royal family have programs in place to combat this ignorance, but unfortunately, they can't be everywhere at once. My older brother, Jiro, is part of the Concordia Brigade; a group of people dedicating themselves to helping mages and fostering understanding sponsored by the Council. When he's less busy, maybe he'll come around and can answer some questions for everyone? He's a mage himself!"

That was a mistake. A flood of questions came from everyone when that was mentioned; it was like walking up to a large group of puppies, shaking a bag and shouting "Dinner time!" I wanted to know more myself, but every question I had was already addressed over the next half hour. Ako looked torn between being irked at Ian so thoroughly for derailing her planned lessons, and genuine happiness that we were all so excited about learning more about her grandson and what he does.

Once we are finished with the history class for today, Ako and Ian said their goodbyes and we all left. Some stayed behind to ask even more questions.

"Man, that class was something!" Tommy exclaimed, stretching his arms upward as we are walking out the hallway. "I still have a lot to ask him!"

"Save it, dude." Samuel nudged him, giving him an annoyed look. "You just keep asking him so much I almost didn't get to ask him one too. Why don't you let someone else ask too next time?"

Adi snickered, shaking his head lightly at the bickering.

I made a beeline for the exit, leaving the three to themselves; it was a fun day, but I was ready to get home. Outside the school building was a crowd of parents, waiting to pick up their kids from their first day at school. Many of them were chattering to each other, chuckling and laughing as they talk to their fellow parents about things I didn't listen to.

Mum was waiting at a distant spot from other people, possibly so that I can find her among the crowd easily. Mum held out her hands and pulled me in for an embrace as soon as I got close to her, beaming.

"How was school today?" Mum asked.

"It was better than I expected," I answered. "The afternoon class, her grandson Ian knocked it out of the park. It was so fun to learn history with him."

She let out a chuckle, kneeling down to pat my head. "See? Just give it a chance and you will find out yourself. What did they teach you today?"

"Some basic math in the morning," I said. "It was so easy though; I just did it and helped someone else for the whole class until lunch on that subject. Then in the afternoon, we learn about the history of the Fiore Kingdom. How and when it was founded, how it grew to be the kingdom as it was in the present." I continued. "Ian, he practically stole the show in the classroom. Everyone raised their hands to ask him a lot. It felt so exciting as if we were gathering to let him read us stories rather than teaching us himself."

She returned an affirming nod and stood up to walk me home. "So, how are your new friends in class?"

"His name is Adi," I told her. "He was so energetic at studying and like to ask me questions a lot, sometimes too..." I paused at the last sentence. What else has he done wrong to me besides constantly asking me to check his answers? Nothing. And even then, it's not something I could call it 'wrong' and more like a mild 'annoyance' at worst. He just wanted to know if his solutions were right, that's just it. "...sometimes he just wanted to make sure that he got the solutions right."

The other two; Tommy and Samuel. I didn't know them personally yet. Maybe I'll try approaching them next time and see if I could be their friend or not, but I was never good at being the one who 'approach' people around. If anything, it's people who 'approach' me because I couldn't initiate the friendship to save my life and was basically dependent on whether they would notice me or not. As simple as it sounds to befriend kids, I don't think I could really find it in me to even do that. I just don't know what to even talk about with them mostly. Can't bond over the same TV series or games, there's little to none of that here. I'm not good at making up stories to share like the others, what else is there? Hell, the only reason I even knew Adi was because he is the one who would poke me for help on his math, not the other way around.

"You should make friends more; they can help you when in need." She said as if on cue, like she was reading my thoughts. I wanted to tell her what I really thought of her words but decided against it at the last second because I'm all tired and sore to put up an exchange. So, I just plainly nod and 'hmmed' along.

The noises boomed from behind, prompting me to look back to the school and saw many kids, still barreling toward their parents—father, mother, or both—or waving goodbye to their newfound friends as their parents walk them home. Now that I've just noticed what I seem to be lacking. It's been at the back of my mind to ask her about my father's whereabouts so many times now, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I wonder if he was still alive somewhere out there but didn't stay together with us or was, was he… dead? It didn't help that mum also never said anything about this before too. It's suddenly weird to think that there were only two of us living under the same house instead of the typical three.

"Mum." I narrowly avoided looking her in the eyes directly because I was aware that what I'm about to ask her next might be likely to hit her in the sore spot. Breathing in deeply to muster the courage to ask her. "Where is- why is my father never home?"

She didn't react. For a long moment, she just went on and not saying anything... then she stopped to run her hand through my hair, looking at me straight despite my best to avoid her gaze. "He passed away before you were born, Blake." She said with the ghost of sadness behind her smile. "Things happened."

Her answer left me standing still and blank for a moment. Did I mishear what she just said? No, I didn't. She really did say that. She just gave me a straight answer; whoever my father was, he has already passed away. Just like that.

There was something very upsetting about asking someone a question that would remind them of their loss despite knowing it full well. It felt like a punch to the gut that I have just asked this, of all questions, to mum of all people. I should have called it and just stop at that given his absence, which should hint more than enough of his status. Yet, I still went ahead and asked her anyway. It makes me feel like I was just trying to be a smartass, not the curious deep inside. I shouldn't have done that. What am I even thinking I was doing?

"I... I'm sorry." I turned my eyes away from mum, frowning at myself. "I-I just wanted to know who he was."

"Figured you're going to ask me sooner or later eventually," Mum reassured, casting an understanding look at me. "What's with that look, love?"

"It's nothing, mum." I glared at the ground. "I'm just trying to let what you said sink in." Trying to convince myself that I didn't do anything wrong.

She didn't tense at my reaction; she was handling this far better than I thought. "I won't hold it against you. Just... take your time, alright?" She offered. "You still have me right with you here, Blake. I'll never leave your side, get it?" She stuck out her pinkie.

"Get it." I nodded, locking my pinky finger with hers.

"Good, now enough with that sad look and lighten up already." She bopped my nose playfully. "Let's go home, I'll cook your favorite for dinner."

"Fine by that, mum." I forced a smile on my lips, which worked slightly, and that's all I needed on my way home.

.

.

A long overdue.

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.

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Guilty pleasure has always been an unfortunate part of someone who wanted to write a decent Fairy Tail SIOC fanfiction. Almost everybody has long given up hope in this fandom considering just how common those kinds of bad fics you'd expect to find are in the present. But it's not the end yet; there still lies a small community residing in the abyss of a fandom known as Fairy Tail. One that will restore your faith in what's left of this fandom. One that will help you write the fic you've always wanted to. Come to the light side; we have panda gifs to lighten your soul.

Go to this discord server: (https):/discord.(gg)/5WethAt.

They care only how well you want your fic plot and execution to be. Not who you are. It's never too late to join us.

Your demon in need, Lord Amon.

Absalom Father of Peace (Discord)/Heretic's Fork (FF)

And lastly, our Miniature Panda, Minipa.